Is it legal for security at Aloha Stadium to feel people's bags at UH football games? They're checking by touching without a person even knowing. Bags searched at stadium
to put lid on food sneaks
At the Wyoming football game at Aloha Stadium, we were stopped at the gate and asked to open our backpack, which we did. Is this legal? Security guards have been authorized to check people's bags if they suspect someone may be bringing in food and drink, said Debbie Ishihara, head of administrative services at Aloha Stadium.
Despite large signs saying outside food and drink are prohibited, some people try to sneak them in.
"A large part of the reason (for the prohibition) is safety," Ishihara said.
They don't want unruly fans launching beverage cans into the stands or onto the field. Another reason is that the food concessionaire has the exclusive contract to sell food and beverages inside the stadium.
Guards "don't normally do that" (search bags) unless there is probable cause, Ishihara said.
If you are unwilling to have your bags searched and guards believe you are carrying food or drinks, you will be asked to take them back to your car, she said.
"If it becomes a larger issue than that, we have an (deputy) attorney general standing by who would advise us," she said.
But Ishihara said "we don't want to make it unpleasant for people or to embarrass them. If (guards) are rude or obnoxious, then call me" at 486-9503, she said. Note the gate number and other details.
At concerts, depending on the performer, people also have been barred from bringing in still and video cameras and even cellular phones.
Is it permissible for golf courses to spray weed killers and such things while people are close by? At the golf course where we play, they spray all the time near players. Once, we were in a tee box downwind from a worker who was spraying about 10 feet away. We mentioned it to another worker, but nothing was done. I didn't want to complain to the club, because I play there all the time. Golf courses are allowed to apply various pesticides, including insecticides, weed killers and fungicides, but how and when they can be applied depends on the specific product, said Steven Ogata, a pesticides specialist for the state Department of Agriculture.
That spraying may happen when golfers are playing or nearby, so long as it doesn't contact or contaminate people.
Say it's a "hot, sunny day. Within a few minutes, the spray dries and players can play," Ogata said.
In your case, the concern seems to be "a drift issue," he said.
Ogata said you should file a complaint with his office at 973-9401, so inspectors can determine whether proper procedures are being followed.
To the rude man selling bread at the Kam Swap meet on Aug. 30. After waiting in a long line to get in, we struggled to parallel park my truck into a stall, then realized it was safer and more convenient to pull straight in. The man was yelling and being unreasonable in telling us not to unload until we could properly park, even though the manager found no problem. Auwe
To the Aloha Stadium staff who ask people to leave the "Super Rooter" section at UH football games just because we don't have tickets for that section. Three-quarters of the section was empty. I can understand if it becomes full and ticket holders complain, but get real. No blood, no foul! -- C.K.I. Auwe
(Once the game starts, people should sit in their proper sections, said stadium spokeswoman Debbie Ishihara. Otherwise, "It's not fair to the UH or people who pay the money to sit in the area," she said.)
